USS Flusser (DD-20)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Flusser.

USS Flusser (DD–20) was a Smith-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the second ship named for Lieutenant commander Charles W. Flusser.

USS Flusser (DD-20) in 1909 during trials making 26 knots, note funnel arrangement.
History
United States
Name	Flusser
Namesake	Lieutenant commander Charles W. Flusser
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down	3 August 1908
Launched	20 July 1909
Sponsored by	Miss Genevieve Virden, grand-niece of Lieutenant Commander Flusser
Commissioned	28 October 1909
Decommissioned	14 July 1919
Stricken	15 September 1919
Identification	Hull symbol: DD-20
Fate	Sold, 15 November 1919 and broken up for scrap
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Smith-class destroyer
Displacement	700 long tons (710 t) normal
Length	293 ft 10 in (89.56 m)
Beam	26 ft 5 in (8.05 m)
Draft	10 ft 7 in (3,230 mm)
Speed	31 kn (36 mph; 57 km/h)
Complement	89 officers and crew
Armament	5 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber guns 3 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes

Construction

Flusser was launched on 20 July 1909, by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, sponsored by Miss Genevieve Virden, grandniece of Commander Flusser; and commissioned on 28 October 1909.

Pre-World War I

Flusser arrived at Charleston, South Carolina – her home port – on 17 December 1909, and began her participation in the regular operating schedule of the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet, an organization many times redesignated in the years that followed. She cruised from the Caribbean to the coast of New England until August 1916, when she began neutrality patrols off New York and in Long Island Sound.

World War I

After a repair period at New Orleans, Louisiana early in 1917, Flusser had escort duty on the east coast until 30 July 1917, when she departed Charleston for two months of ocean escort and patrol duty based on Ponta Delgada, Azores. She had similar duty out of Brest, France, operating across the English Channel from 22 October – 9 December 1918, returning to Charleston on 31 December. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 14 July 1919, and sold on 21 November.

Noteworthy commanding officers

• Lieutenant William Henry Allen (12 October 1911 – August 1912) (Later Rear admiral)
• Lieutenant William Halsey, Jr. (August 1912 – 5 September 1913) (Later Fleet Admiral)